Tragically the Code of Conduct for RMBC councillors and local town and parish councillors is not always adhered to by far too many. I know from experience that the way that RMBC Standards Committee gets around the disciplining of councillors is to say that when the alleged “incident” or “offence took place, the councillor in question was not acting “in his/her capacity as a councillor”. This is an easy way of letting the disgusting behaviours and attitudes of some councillors go un-challenged and unreprimanded. As we know some of the members of the Standards Committee themselves use behaviour that should not be tolerated from any citizen, let alone elected – and often non elected – members in a position of authority.
Anyone in a position where their role is to represent the public or any profession that involves the public should behave in an appropriate and professional manner at all times, in their public life. There is no way that anyone who uses Twitter can say that their tweets are private and personal – this would be a paradox to the whole idea of the Twitter network.
I wonder what our response would be if our local Headteacher, Vicar, Police or Doctor sent tweets in the style of Akhtar and said they were doing it in a “personal capacity” or just “expressing opinions” ? That the “majority of his tweets / retweets are perfectly reasonable … ” is irrelevant and does not cancel out the ones that clearly are not.
Jahanghir Akhtar is a disgrace to Rotherham and South Yorkshire. To say that he is tweeting in a personal capacity under the heading of Deputy Leader of RMBC is an insult to every person in Rotherham. As for his position with the South Yorks PCC … I am lost for words how this can be.
As I have said elsewhere, Jahanghir Akhtar accused me of being a BNP supporter (I am not ) and then a Respect supporter (likewise I am not) on Twitter and then promptly blocked me from responding. The RothBradpolitics “site” has also made suggestions and posts about me that are not true.
So yes please, rothpol. I would like a copy of the tweets. Not for entertainment, but to add my voice to the protests about this man continuing to be in office.
maltbyblogger 
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